Men may talk of Barbadoes and Negroes but the Danes are never us'd so much like Slaves as when they meet with some sort of Envoys According to the account hitherto of People in all stations one would imagine the Beggars to be innumerable but it seems that you will scarce see a Beggar in the streets of Copenhagen except before some Burghers door who that day gives Alms to the poor of his Parish For all the poor People of a Parish go about one day to one another to another Citizen â—ho knows his day when he is to give them Mâ—at or Money both for Diâ—ner and Supper If any other Beggar is seen in the street an Officer carries him immediately to Prison or Punishment After what has been said concerning the state of all sorts of persons even to the meanâ—st who do not appear to want acomfortable subsistence what man will not presently agree with the Author when he says Danmark at present is but competently peopled p. 88. Vexation of Spirit ill Diet and Poverty being great obstructions to Procreaâ—ion and the Peasants who before used to have a large piece of Plate or two Gold Rings Silver Spoons c. not having them now or indeed any other utensil of value unless it be Featherbeds whereof there are better and in greater plenty than in any place he ever saw I should have imagin'd Featherbeds to have been as proliâ—ick a piece of Furniture as Gold Rings and Silver Porringers However the People have continued much about the same number for these two or three hundred years As to the Multitudes that have been there heretofore this may be observed that since from all the three Northern Kingdoms Danmark Norway and Sweden and the adjacent Provinces near the Elbe and Weser so many swarms went out so often to conquer and inhabit other more fertile and Southern Countries it is probable at last so great deductions might exhaust the number as Saxo Grammaticus in his eighth Book in the Life of King Sâ—io says that when the Lombards went out of Danmark in the great famine and dearth that reigned then the Kingdom was so deserted that great Woods and Forests grew up in maâ—y places where before had been fertile ground and to this day the signs of the Plough are to be seen among the Trees Another great reason is attributed to the Plague called the Black Death that ravaged all the Northern Kingdoms in the year 1348. when so many died that scarce the tenth man was left to till the ground Our Author gives another reason why they are not so numerous as formerly for discontent kills 'em and 't is usual to have them die of a Slatch which is an Apoplexy proceeding from trouble of mind The Falling Sickness is more common in the Northern Kingdoms than with us but not to that degree that our Author talks of p. 90. And their Apoplexies are not half so â—atal as they have been in England within these few years 'T is scarce reconcileable that people should die in such number for discontent whom in the beginning of the Chapter he describes p. 75. as taken up with a dull pleasure of being careless and insensible Let us proceed to the description of their Diet in which the Reader may eâ—pâ—ct exactness seeing our Author all along seems to have been a good Trencher-man Their Tables are usually well furnished with Dishes yet he cannot commend their cheer p 92. Other English-men have mightily commended their Cheer and never complained of the Leanness of their Meat The truth is the Danes like it the better for not being very fat the greatest fault which they and other strangers find with the English Meat is that it is too fat which disagrees with most of ' em This may be one reason and perhaps a better than that of Properly not being secure why they have not been over diligent to Introduce the Faâ—ning of Tame Fowl it being an Art not known to above two or three in Copenhagen And yet Fat Capons were in Danmark and Norway long before any English-man brought in the Cramming Manufacture p. 92. Beef and Veal p. 42. he allows them Wether Mutton is scarce and seldom good not so scarce or bad though not in such plenty or so fat as in England Wild Ducks taste as well as in England Plovers they have but do not care for but Snipes and other Sea Fowl in abundance through all Danmark According to him here are no wild Pheasants Woodcocks Rabbits or Fallow Deer Red Deer being the Kings game not to be bought for mony What game is permitted by Law to be sold in our English Markets Wild Pheasants are not there as yet but the Prince Royal having a Nursery of tame ones near Copenhagen and they increasing prodigiously it is thought they will soon grow wild and common Their Woodcocks call'd Agerhons are most delicious in Danmark They have all sorts of Venison in plenty and perfection nor is it kept so strictly for the Kings own use but that it is very often to be had among any people of Fashion For the King's Huntsmen have great priviledges in this case and most of the Nobility and Gentry having their Game in the Country can communicate enough of all sorts to their â—riends Rabbits the Danes have but they do not care for them they not being so good as in England but Hares are plenty and the Author says good p. 92. As likewise their Bacon excellent As to their Fish I have spoke before Their Butter is very good and they have Melons Grapes Peaches and all sorts of Sallads in great perfection However in general their way of Cookery would hardly be pleasing to an Englishman p92 93. The â—anes generally roast and boil their Meat more than the English If you call their's over-roasted they would say yours was raw but this might easily be adjusted Their Broaths and Soops are extraordinary I fancy together with them a man might contrive a Good Dinner and a Desert out of what has been mentioned To Consumate the Entertainment The Liquors are Rhenish-wine Cherry-Brandy and all sorts of French Wine p. 93. The Fair Sex do not refuse them in such a quantity as is agreable to their health and becoming their Sex and Modesty The men are fond of them p. 93. more addicted to drinking perhaps than is necessary But for these Twenty years last past that Humor has declined and does in some measure continue to do so daily There are some few other Customs of the Danish Nation which He represents after his fashion and so concludes Their Marriages are usually preceeded by Contracts p 94. and there is some Interval between that and the Wedding according to the conditions of the Persons What he says concerning three four or more years before they proceed to a Publick Wedding by the Minister p. 94. is to introduce his following Scandal upon the young People That often the young Couple grow better acquainted before such formalities are
and Rebus's for distinction but they do not deliver them down to posterity nor have they any farther mark of honour in them Among these Nobles there were twenty four persons of the chiefest Families who composed a standing Council call'd Rigens Raad or the Council of the Kingdom upon the death of one of these Councellors his Successor had a Patent from the King to constitute him so but he was always approved if not first chosen by the Nobility This Council had by degrees so enlarged their Authority as to interpose in most of the great Affairs of the Kingdom The entire body of the Nobility though standing possest of the Lands look'd upon it p. 50. as their Ancient Prerogative to pay nothing by way of Taxes The rest of the people of Danmark consisted of the Clergy the Burghers or Citizens and the Peasants who were either in the nature of ouâ—-Farmers or else the Vornede who resembled the Villains in our Law who were so called quasi Villae adscripti and so were these When a Diet was to meet which it did not do of course or at certain periods but upon great occasions as doing Homage or to raise Taxes the Nobility assembled together in the Palace and sate by themselves the King seldom coming among them all were summon'd and as many appear'd as could with their convenience The Clergy and Burghers who were sent in proportion by their several Districts sate in the Brewers Hall and the Peasants who had their Representatives likewise sate in some other Hall belonging to some of the Companies When the Nobility had deliberated concerning a Tax the Clergy Burghers and Peasants were sent for to their House to hear what was to be laid upon them and not to debate the matter or to pretend to controul+'em This was the condition of the Kingdom and the Danish Parliament when the War with Sweden was ended And it was this Prerogative of the Nobility that made the other States so willing to devolve a Power upon the King by which he could make the Nobility pay their proportion and either Clergyman or Citizen be able to purchase and so the Peasant who before could be a Farmer only if he could get Money might have licence to become a Free-holder And the Soldier was no doubt likewise desirous of it because he had a prospect then that his Arrears should be paid him There being so many advantages likely to accrue to the King whom they acknowledged by his Valor and Conduct to deserve them to the whole Royal Family and indeed to all the rest of the Danes and no damage toany except that which the Nobles received in contributing towards the defence of the Lands which they possest It is not so very strange that an alteration should be perfected in so few days all things not only being ripe for but necessity itself requiring it The Speech of Otto Craeg made the Commons eager to obtain this alteration especially being headed by their President Nauson who was a man of Vigor The Superintendent Swan was at the Head of the Clergy who were no less desirous of it Sestede was Prime Minister and concurred to their intention and several of the Nobles themselves who were in Court were not displeased at it and the Queen being a Woman of Spirit thought her self bound to her Posterity to advance it It was night when the Commons parted from the Nobles and that gave them time the better to concert their resolutions The next day they come again and declare their fixt design concerning the Power which they intended to place in his Majesty's Hands The Nobility desired farther time to deliberate concerning it and to do it with greater caution and solemnity Finding a delay in the Nobles and that they would not come up to equal resolutions with them the Commons go the same morning to the Palace where being introduc'd to the King they tender him an Hereditary and Soveraign Dominion His Majesty in answer tells them of the necessity there was for the concurrence of the Nobility before he should be willing to accept the Power they design'd him assuring them of his Protection and â—ase of Grievances dismissing them with advice to continue their Sessions till matters might be brought to greater perfection The same day Monsieur Scheel a Senator was to be buried with much magnificence and all the Nobility invited to a great Entertainment as is usual there upon such occasions In the mean time the Gates of the City were shut and whereas two or three of the Nobility had gone out the night before there was no opportunity left for the rest to do so Now being altogether upon the forementioned occasion they began to deliberate more seriously upon the assair and to send news to the Court of their compliance with the Commons and their unanimous agreement with them three days were thought requisite for an intermediate space before the Consummation of this Ceremony which was perform'd before the Castle the King and Royal Family being plac'd there in Chairs of State and receiving the Homage of all the Senators Nobility Clergy and Commons so an affair of this consequence was dispatched in four days without any farther trouble than what has been related We must allow our Author in his Description of these proceedings to use some of his own Ornaments and particularly that instance of his subtle Genius to dive into the hearts of men which he gives us when he speaks p. 56. about the Kings seeming Reluctancy through doubt of the event or sense of the dishonesty and crime of the action Whereas the King was all along willing to receive the profer of the Commons but declared that he thought the concurrence of the Nobility necessary that the consent might be universal He is very particular as to the Summs of Money that were given p. 74. Hannibal Sestled had two hundred thousand Crowns Swan the Bishop had 30000 and was made Archbishop The President Nauson had 20000. One might think he spoke with the person that paid the Bills This is a piece of secret history which may perhaps be revealed to Foreigners but the Danes know nothing of it and it seems to carry the less probability because Swan has an Archbishoprick and ten thousand Crowns more than Nauson who appears all along to have done equal service Besides these three persons the Clergy who always make sure bargains were the only gainers in this point p. 74. What are their Revenues enlarged Do they pay no Taxes Or what have they gained more than the Burghers Why e'en just nothing There are no Taxes rais'd upon the Burghers to which the Clergy must not pay their Quota And whereas before the alteration the Clergyman paid as it were no Taxes through the connivance of the Nobility now hâ—bears an equal share with any man of any other Profession in the Kingdom The Commons have since experienced that the little â—inger of an absolute Prince can be heavier than the loins of
methinks Courtesy Duty or Interest at least might bring four and twenty more to make above thirty That there is a plentiful Table but the Meat is drest after their own manner p. 158. Ridiculous Is not the King of Spain's drest after his own manner There are abundance more of the like particulars which I shall omit only this one where he says That King Frederick had once the thoughts of making the present Count Guldenlew King of Norway which has been remembred to his Prejudice p. 155. For it is what was never heard of in Danmark nor could that thought have been consistent with such a Kings great Wisdom I must for these reasons beg the Authors pardon if I do not give an entire belief to his characters and the Readers for my not giving any of the same persons my self But with a very short description of the Court conclude this Chapter The King of Danmark's great and royal Qualities make him be universally belov'd by his People and the Queen by her goodness obliges them to the same affection and makes her difference in opinion from them scarce discernable Frederick the Prince Royal in his late Travels where-ever he came appeared accomplished and very gracious and at home he is admir'd for having such a temper as will follow his Father's example and pursue his designs for the Ease and Prosperity of his Subjects Prince Christian has all the Vigor and Gayety of Youth and the two younger Princes Charles and William give great hopes agreeable to their respective Ages And the Princess Sophia Hederig has all that Beauty and Sweetness which will one day render some young Prince happy The Ministers of State who compose the Council as Guldenlew Reventlaw c. are Persons of Honour and Fidelity to their Master by whose advice affairs are so manag'd that he has Love at home and Honour abroad Though the Court has not all that Luxury which may be in some more Southern Climates yet there is Decency and a sufficient Grandeur Nor is it strange that a warlike Prince and Nation should express their Magnificence by things suitable as the Attendance of Horse and Foot Guards Kettle-drums and Trumpets and consequently that the Kings Diversion should be the reviewing of his Troops or Hunting in its proper season as an exercise becoming a Soldier These occasion frequent removals of the Court which can go no where to a finer place than Fredericksborg which tho it be not built after the modern Architecture yet may be esteemed one of the pleasantest Pallaces in Europe The Ladies likewise have their Diversions not only in the Hunting of Deer and Swans but the nicer ones of their Sleds Musick Masquerades and Comedies To encrease the Grandeur of the Court the King has two Orders of Knighthood The first being that of the Elephant is given only to Foreign Princes or Subjects of the highest Deserts and Qualities The other which is the Order of Daneburg was instituted long ago but not as our Author says by one King Dan who saw a White Cross with Red Edges descend from Heaven and thereupon instituted the Order p. 178. For King Waldemar II. fighting against the Listanders in the Year 1219 saw or pretended to see this Banner descend from Heaven which was followed by a great Victory and in remembrance of this the Order of Daneborg was instituted This was laid aside a great while but revived by his present Majesty The Knights are inferior to those of the Elephant yet they are both fewer in number p. 179. and greater in Honour by far than the Baronets in England As to the Rank and Precedency of all great Officers and other persons the Author has given us an Ordonnance in French concerning it which was published in 1680. It is true that his Account is to represent Danmark as it stood in 1692. However it is strange that so curious and exact a man should have no correspondence there from 92 till 94 when his Book was published for then he might have known that by a new Ordonnance dated 11th of February 1693. this old Ordonnance of our Authors is altered in abundance of particulars so that he has nine whole Pages of his Book that by his negligence are entirely good for nothing CHAP. XII The Disposition and Inclinations of the King of Danmark towards his Neighbours THis Chapter seems to labour under the same difficulties with the former for as we see the Interests of Princes are changeable so are their Inclinations upon which reason I shall leave him to dive into the Hearts of Men and the Cabinets of Princes and only see whither his Matter of Fact be absolutely true For that being the Foundation according as that appears we shall be able to give our opinion of his Superstructure First As this Author is a mighty Lover of Seditions within a Kingdom so he is of Animosities and Quarrels without Therefore his Presage is very common and often repeated That there will be a fresh War between Danmark and Sweden But on the contrary they rather grow greater Friends every day than other nor has there been a stricter Alliance between those Crowns than is at present which has been lately renewed by solemn Treaties Secondly Whenever says he we please to caress the one at the expence of the other this seeming Knot will discover the weakness of the contexture and probably dissolve of it self p. 192. These two Princes are not to be suppos'd to break solemn Oaths and Treaties for a little interest that may be proffered them by England and Holland And we saw this last year when the Danes stopt the Dutch Ships in the Sound the Swede although never so much carest could not be prevail'd with to go off from the King of Danmark's Interest or take any other party but contributed what he could to procure a satisfaction for his Confederate Thirdly That the Alliance by the King of Sweden's having married the others Sister is not of any moment towards a good Corresp â—ndence p. 192. is not altogether so certain for this Queen whilst she lived was the greatest Tye between these two Nations She was the delight of them both and that not without reason for she had all the Accomplishments of Piety Wisdom Goodness and all other Virtues So that Sweden loves Danmark for nothing more than the having received from thence a Queen for whom they had so great a Veneration Fourthly He wrongs the King of Sweden when he says p. 193. That he showed coldness and indifference enough tâ— his Queen He a vertuous Prince ibid. and she an accomplished Princess ibid. and yet coldness and indifference What is this but a Contradiction But the matter of fact is this that never a greater Love and Esteem could be had for a Queen than this King had for his which was manifest y enough shewn by the deep Afiliation her Death threw him into so that he would scarce admit of Consolation and Sweden never heard of such a
Chap. 2. Of Danmark in particular and the Island of Sealand 9 Chap. 3. Of the Sound 25 Chap. 4. Of the other Islands and Jutland 32 Chap. 5. Of the rest of the King of Danmark's Countries 40 Chap. 6. Of their Form of Government 56 Chap. 7. The manner how the Kingdom of Danmark became Hereditary 77 Chap. 8. The Conditions Customs and Manners of the People 89 Chap. 9. Of the Revenue 131 Chap. 10. Of the Army Fleet and Fortresses 145 Chap. 11. Of the Court. 153 Chap. 12. The Disposition and Inclinations of the King of Danmark towards his Neighbours 160 Chap. 13. The Manner of dispossessing and restoring the Duke of Holstein Gottorp 164 Chap. 14. The Interests of Danmark in relation to other Princes 166 Chap. 15. Of the Laws Courts of Justice c. 167 Chap. 16. The State of Religion of the Clergy and Learning c. 172 Conclusion 194 Errata Typographica PAge 1. line 7. for scituation read situation and so in p 15 c. p. 4. l. 11. after Blegind add and. p. 5. l. 7. for bis r. this p. 9. l. 7. for Denmark r. Danmark p. 11. l. 17. for Kjerfeminde r. Kierfeminde p. 20. l. 7. for Frederickborg r. Fredericksborg p. 21. l. 5. for Guidenlew r. Guldenlâ—w p. 24. l. ult for outhwark r. Southwark p. 34. l. â—â— for Stifts-Amt r. Stifts Amtmand p. 35. l. 14. for Giâ—â— r. Gioe l. 24. for Stifts-Amts r. Stifts-Amtmaend p. 36. l. 10. for Stifts-Amts r. Stifts Amtmaend p. 43. l. 21. for recuit r. recruit p. 44. l. 21. for Clausten r. Clausson p. 46. l. r. for Tonsborg r. Tonsberg l. 3. for Zarwick r. Larwick l. 8. for Writers r. Writer p. 59. l. 18. for tell r. tells p. 64. l. 23. for we r. â—e p. 83. l. 7. for Nauson r. Nanson p. 86. l. 2. for Sestâ—ed r. Sebested l. 5. for Nauson r. Nanson l. 13. for Nauson r. Nanson p. 90. l. 23. for Hospitaliay r. Hospitality p. 119. l. 17. for consumate r. consâ—mmate p. 131. l. 12. for persue r. pursue p 148. l. 18. for Emperor r. Emperors p. 150. l. 15. for Naxkew r. Nakskow p. 156. l. 27. for Hederig r. Hedewig p. 158. l. 9 10. for Daneburg r. Danebroge p. 164. l. 5. for Rakeburg r. Ratzeburg p. 171. l. 16. for iu r. in p. 173. l. 21. for Tousson r. Tausson p. 186. l. 11. for Glaudius Lyscander r. Claudius Lyscander l. 18. for Paxous r. Parvus p. 190. l. 27. for Erâ—ticam r. Eroticum ANIMADVERSIONS On the Pretended Account of DANMARK In the Year 1692. CHAP. I. Of the Territories belonging to the King of Danmark and their Scituation DAnmark has always had a particular Interest with England Our very Ancestors came originally from one of its Provinces it has once been our Master and we are now govern'd by Princes whose Great-grand mother was a Daughter of it nor can there be any dearer Pledge of the Danish Affection to us than that the only Brother to its King resides amongst us and has made us happy in a Young Prince who promises one day to equal the great Families from which he is descended Whilst 7000 Danes are fighting for us in their Majesties Service it is very ungenerous in the Author of the Account to reslâ—â— upon them who if he must have been malicious should rather have chosen an Enemies Country for the subject of his Satyr If we consider the frequent Applications that have been made both by the Confederates and the French King to have the King of Danmark declare in their savour we shall be apt to look upon him as a Prince that is very considerable and not agree with this Author pag. 2. who tells us that if he were put in ballance with the King of Portugal he would be sound lighter This is a Comparison no reasonable man would be guilty of making for the Armies Navy and Strength of the former will certainly very much overpoise the latter And then Danmark lies so as to be able to make use of these advantages either to the offending of itâ— Enemies or relief of its Friends and though Portugal has a good East-India Trade yet the Commodities of Danmark and Norway especially those that relate to Shipping make its Trade necessary to Portugal it self and most other Countries in Europe Besides the Kingdom of Danmark with all its Provinces is very large insomuch that the first words of this Authors Book are p. 1. that if we consider the extent of the King of Danmark's Dominions he may with justice be reckon'd amongst the greatest Princes of Europe For though Schone Halland and Blegind by Treaty remain to the Swedes yet I cannot allow this Author what he says pag. 3. that they were the best Provinces belonging to Danmark Nor do I really think that he has a sufficient knowledge which Provinces are the most considerable for he seems only to have been in Copenhagen and thereabouts the reason is because what he speaks as to the nature and constitution of Danmark in relation to the fertility of the Country or the common life of the People can in no manner be applied to any other part but to Sealand only where Copenhagen stands and is not above a fourth part of Danmark Now this Island lying under the disadvantages of a particular Law is not in so good a condition as the other Provinces though that and a great deal of Jutland is still better than either Halland or Blegind though Schone be a fine Province yet does no way excel Funâ—n as well as other parts of Danmark However this Author says p. 3. that these three Provinces are still looked upon by the Danes with a very envious Eye and for this reason 't is reported that the Windows of Croneborg Castle whose Prospect lay towards Schone were walled up that so hateful an Object might not cause continual Heart-burnings Very well Sir Pray did your own Knowledge or Experience confirm this to be a truth p. 2. or did some of your sensible grave Persons p. 2. impose this silly story upon you For when you was at Croneborg you might have found that some Windows were indeed walled up for the Advantage of the Fortress but not to hinder the sight of Schone the Situation of Croneborg being such that now thâ—se Windows are close yet Schone must be seen from the Apartments of both the other sides so that to make his suggestion true all the Rooms must be quite darkned and then Sir it would be a fit place in which you might employ your fancy and invention in framing more such stories Nay this Fable is so ridiculous that if the King of Danmark should avoid the pretended Heart burnings occasioned by seeing Schone p. 3. he must not only forbear coming to Cronâ—borg but also leave Copenhagen and that side of Sealand opposite to Schone and must also chuse his Residence in Jutland or some other remote place where he could be free from that hateful Object
Paâ—ish and Village which is called the Hollander's Village the rest of the people although they wear a singular dress to show their primitive Extraction yet in every thing else they are â—anes so that their not mixing with that Nation p. 29. is a meer fable But hence arises a great consternation in our Author it is to be fear'd that these North Hollanders by deâ—rees will be treated â—e the other Subjects of Danmark My heart really bleeds upon the contemplation of these poor North-Hollanders for they seem perfectly to have been trapanâ—'d or as one may say kidnapt into Denmark I warrant they had Letter upon Letter Invitation upon Invitation before they could leave their own Country and especially considering what they were persons of fashion and credit Gardners and Dairy-Maids Now 't is very hard that a free people bred in a Commonwealth as North Holland is where they lye under no Impositions have no Excises should be betrayed into a Country where there is a necessity of their paying Taxes that they should be reduced to powdered Beef and stubble Geese like common Danes whereas at home in the seat of Liberty they could have Regaled themselves and Families with a Red herring one day White-herring another and Pickled-herring a third for greater change and delicacy CHAP. V. Of the rest of the King of Danmark's Countries THE Author to keep up an old custom begins this Chapter with a contradiction for in Sleswick the Commodities for exportation are in no great quantity and yet it affords Corn Cattle Horses and Wood to its Neighbours over and above a sufficient store of each for its own Inhabitants When it is his business to describe Danmark he runs out into an Elaborate description of the Duke of Holstein's Residence and sets forth the Romantick situation of his Castle p. 32. It is easie to guess at the Authors Reasons for this digression Gottorp is a very pleasant and magnificent seat yet in most things it is not to be compared with the King of Danmark's Pallace Fredericksborg The Pallace may have run to some decay by the late troubles in Holstein but those who told the Author that the Improvements were pull'd down and destroyed by order p. 33. were so far from being sensible Informers that they were false and malicious Neither does it stand with common sense that so generous a Prince as the King of Danmark would give so ungenteel an order or revenge himself upon the Pallace and Gardens for any injury which the Master of them might have done him And after all the Author found a Library p. 33. at Gottorp which was more than he was pleased to do at Copenhagen The Holsteiners are so much this Gentlemans Friends that he strains a point in their favour p. 36. viz. The Danes when they Travel abroad chuse to call themselves Holsteiners thinking it more honourable to be born in the consines of the Empire than otherwise Which in a rational mans opinion is more honorable to be born in a little Dutchy as Holstein is and a Feif holden of the Empire or to be a native of one of the most Antient Kingdoms in Europe I cannot tell what they may do in other Countries but when they travel in England and converse among us they never dissemble their Country nor desire to be called any otherwise than Danes It is to be noted according to this Account p. 37. as a great natural defect that the King of Danmark has not in all his Dominions one Navigable River for Vessels of considerable Burden This can be no great defect in such Islands as Danmark consists of where there is no need of great Rivers as the Thames Humber c. the Sea being on all sides so near at hand Yet these Islands have some Rivers proportionable enough to their bigness as that in Sealand which goes up to a Town called Nested and has formerly been capable of carrying brave Ships As for the Continent Jutland has some pretty good Rivers but the defect which it may have in them is abundantly recompenced by nature with many Friths which the Sea forms and run far into the Country as that called Limesiord by Aalborg which passes almost into the middle of Jutland What he says p. 37. concerning the design of the Danes during this war to establish the Toll at Gluckstadt is rather one of his own suppositions than any of their real Intentions He complains p. 38. of the Horses of Oldenburg as not able to last long or endure hard labour whereas those that have skill in Horses account them the strongest of any and they are at present generally sought after to recuit the Cavalry in Flanders Come we now to the Kingdom of Norway of which if we may believe this Author p. 38. little can be said Or rather in truth he should have turn'd it thus of Norway I can say but little For certainly it is more his Ignorance of the Country than any want of curiosities in it Else those Gentlemen who have written whole Volumes concerning the description of it have made a great bustle about nothing The History of it has been set forth by several eminent Authors as Albertus Crantzius and Snorre Sturleson whose great History of the succession and actions of the Norway Kings written first in Islandish and then Translated into Danish and Swedish in a large Quarto or Folio is as valuable a piece of History as any where is to be found Saxo Grammaticus in his Danish Chronicle has a great deal about Norway as likewise Jonas Arngrim in his Crymogaea Islandica and lately one Jonas Ramus a Clergyman in Norway has put forth an Ingenious Tract called Norwega Antiqua Ethnica Peter Clauston another of the same Nation and Profession has writ a great Book of their Description of that Country in the Danish Tongue who is followed by several others that have discours'd of that either in general or some of its Provinces in particular and most of the Danish and Suedish Historians fill up half their Books with the Transactions and Affairs of Norway Olaus Wormius in his Fasti Danici Literatura Runica Monumenta Danica has given us as many Rarities and Antiquities of Norway as he has done of Danmark This may show the Reader that contrary to what this Author affirms there is enough to be said of this vast Kingdom Now to show you in that little he has said of Norway how much a man may be mistaken this Author has an excellent faculty at crowding a great many errors in a little room as for example It is subdivided into four Stifts Ampts p. 38 39. or principal Governments viz. Dronthem Bergen Christiania and Larwick The Governors are young Guldenlew Mr. Stockfleet c. So it seems that Norway has of late lost a Stifts Ampt or chief Government for the North themselves hitherto reckon'd that they had five The names of them are Christiania or Aggershus Christiansand Bergen Trundhiem and Wardohus As
from whence we may rationally conclude the Banisht will amount to very near the forementioned number the more Incorrigible were sometimes destroyed There 's five or six sent that way I warrant you others were either formally Eâ—ecuted by the sentence of a high Court of Justice or dispatched without any more Ceremony the best way for Endeavouring to secure themselves against the Insults of their own Subjects A very moderate computation And here how few Kings are left to end their days in Peace One would think a succession would not be much contended for where a Crown is tendred upon such â—icklish conditions yet he tells us p. 45. they always elected a better man in his Roomâ— sometimes the next of Kin sometimes the Valiant man that had exposed himself so far as to undertake the Expulsion or the Killing of the Tyrant at other times a private Person of good Reputation who possibly least dream't of such an advancement I suppose the next of Kin were seldom so desperate as to venture and therefore they oftener threw their voices away upon some private Person who according to this Authors description might possibly be some honest drunken sleepy fellow that had a Crown dropt into his mouth as he lay yawning But generally the Murtherer was likewise the Thief and the Villain who had dispatched his Prince succeeded him hence there arose a well ordered Government and all men became ambitious of Imitating their new King the meanest Subjects duly weighing the faults of their Superiors in their own breasts the proper Tribunal the Servant soon stabs his cruel Master the Tenant shoots his wasteful Lord and the Son poisons his covetous old Father that having so done they may by the common Law and Justice of the Kingdom succeed in their respective Inheritances Having done with that Government the loss of which he so much complains of we enter upon his account of the present State and find him telling us p. 46 47. that about thirty two years ago at one Instant the face of affairs was changed so that the Kings have ever since been absolute and arbitrary not the least Remnant of Liberty remaining to the Subject the first and principal Article in the Danish law being that the King has the Priviledge reserved to himself to explain the Law nay to alter and change it as he shall find good The consequences of this are excessive Taxes in times of peace little regard being had to the occasion of them Poverty in the Gentry Misery in the Peasants and Partiality in the distribution of Justice The occasion of the Change of Government shall be declared in the next Paragraph in the mean time any one that knows Danmark must confess that the King is absolute but no further so than a Christian King of oâ—r own Protestant Religion may be wherefore amongst other of the obligations which he lies under are the Holy Scriptures and the Confession of Aâ—gsburg as is declared in the beginning of the Danish Law Aâ— for that Law which the Author â—â—livers it is declaratory of the Kings Authority and since it is necessary that a legislative Power should be lodged somewhere shows that it is placed in him Pursuant to this the present King has compiled a Book of Laws the Character of which is given by our Author p. 232 233. That for Justice Brevity and Perspicuity they exceed all in the world That they are grounded upon Equity and are all contain'd in one Quarto Volume written in the Language of the Country with so much plainness that no man who can write and read is so ignorant but he may presently understand his own Case and plead it too if he pleases without the assistance of Councilor Attorney Being thus constituted they are so agreeable and adapted to the Danish Nation that they continue still the same the King having never yet changed nor altered much less explained any part to the Prejudice of any particular Person whatsoever the execution of them throughout the whole Kingdom is with great equality and more eminently in the High Court of Justice in Copenhagen where the King himself is President and sits frequently where Causes are often decided in favour of the meanest Peasant against the greatest Favorites who for wrongs done have been condemned to vast Mulcts and Penalties as might be shown by several instances if it were needful or proper to insert them By this Law every man possesses his own Real or Personal Estate without the least Eâ—croachment from the King 't is true that the Subject pays Taxes but they are such only as Necessity requires for Danmark being surrounded with many potent Neighbours who are all in Arms it must for its own preservation support a Fleet and Army unless it could perswade them to disband their Forces The Taxes being for the common good are laid equally upon all and the Kings Moderation in his Expences both as to himself and the Royal Family being so conspicuous the Subject has the greater satisfaction to see what he contributes laid out only for his own Preservation Notwithstanding these Taxes the People live in Plenty wanting nothing either for Conveniency or Pleasure All this they enjoy although the Government is indeed absolute and they with all willingness and due obedience submit themselves to this Government because they are sufficiently satisfied that this absolute Power was not given to his Majesty of Danmark till the necessity for it was unavoidable The Nobility was that part of the Danish Constitution which first broke in upon the Symmetry of the whole in several Ages and by insensible degrees they encroached upon the Kings Prerogative but all along made larger progresses towards the enslaving of the Commonalty insomuch that all burthens and publick Taxes were imposed upon them alone After the War with Sweden the Commons found themselves unable longer to live under such oppressions they had bravely defended their Country with the hazard of their Lives and would have done so with their Fortunes if they had had any remaining but these were wholly swallowed up by the Nobility who yet would contribute nothing toward the maintaining of a just War against foreign Enemy and Invader Danmark being upon the brink of Ruine the Commons in these circumstances as the weaker and more oppresâ—ed part fly to their Head for succour Neither the King alone nor the Commons alone nor both King and Commons joyntly could controul the Nobility so far as to make them pay Taxes therefore it was necessary that all three should consent to a new Government so the Commons proposed it to the Lords and both Lords and Commons offer the King to make him absolute which offer if he had not accepted of neither himself nor the Commons could have supported the State Supplies were of necessity to be raised the Commonalty could not raise them without assistance and there was no other way but this to make the Nobility in some equal measure bear their proportion After this alteration
Sumptuousness and Magnificence as that wherewith her Burial was accompanied Fifthly Whatever he ominates concerning the Swedes avoiding a further Matrimonial Tye with Danmark p. 193. Yet it is true that the general report of the World is concerning a double Marriage between the Prince Royal of Danmark and the Princess of Sweden as also between the Prince Royal of Sweden and the Princess of Danmark If so where is this Gentlemans assurance of the impossibility of a further Matrimonial Tye or the certainty of the Prince of Holstein's being contracted to the Princess of Sweden whom he falsly cal's p. 193. the only Daughter of the King of Sweden this King having two Princesses living by the lately deceased Queen Sixthly As the Author is pretty near in guessing that the King of Danmark would not sit down with the Duke of Zell's thrusting himself into the Dutchy of Saxe Lawenburg so he is out of the way when he says that the King of Sweden would uphold the Lunenburg Family though secretly For the Swede was one of the chief Mediators that made the Duke of Zell demolish Raâ—eburg last year and give the King of Danmark the satisfaction which he desired Seventhly When he says that the Duke of Holstein has by the Sister of the King of Danmark issue a very hopeful Prince one should think he has no more issue than this only Son whereas the Duke of Holstein has several Children of both Sexes CHAP. XIII The Manner of Dispossessing and Restoring the Duke of Holstein Gottorp ANY one who reads this and the foregoing Chapter will see the Authors partiality for the Duke of Holstein He seems to have undertaken his Cause and to display it in all its best Colours and Brightness It were an easy thing in answer to all this to transcribe the King of Danmark's Manifesto upon this occasion which those who are curious may consult if they please it having been spread about all Germany But I shall avoid meddling with any Justification of the King of Danmark upon this Account The reason is because there is at present an intire Reconciliation between the King and his Brother-in law the Duke and last year they met together with great Friendship in Holstein Now Reconciliation clears up a thousand things which Distruâ—â— Jealousy or Misunderstanding may have cast before one What hereâ—ofore may have seem'd unkind or unjust then will appear to have been necessary but especially upon thâ— renewing of Friendship there should be no Justification of former Proceedings made by either Party for such Justification shows as if the breach were not thoroughly repair'd and will give a handle for future disputes and difficulties Since no reconcilement will be perfect but such as carries along with it an entire oblivion of past differences and all their circumstances CHAP. XIV The Interests of Danmark in Relation to other Princes I Shall be very short in relation to this Chapter because it is of the same nature with the former What he says of Danmark that it resembles a Monster that is all Head and no Body all Soldiers and no Subjects p. 224. has been sufficiently confuted However if I were to have a Monster I would rather have one that is all Head and no Body than such a one as he would make which is all Body and no Head Neither am I of opinion that Danmark bears no greater proportion to France than the little Republick of St. Marino does to Venice and that Danmark is the least and poorest Kingdom in Europe p. 225. for as to its poverty I have given him an account and as to the Littleness of this Kingdom I must a second time make bold with the first words of his Book against him That if we consider the Extent of the King of Danmark's Dominions he may with Justice be reckon'd among the greatest Princes in Europe CHAP. XIV Of the Laws Courts of Justice c. THE Danes are sprung from the Goths who have always been a most warlike Nation they have left no Northern People free from their Incursions at least if not their Conquests and extended them from Island to the warmer Climates of Spain and Italy and the burning Shores of Africa Krantzius in Daniâ— Lib. 1. c. Meursius Hist. Dan. Lib. 2 3. Isaac Pontanus Rer. Dan. And have the honour never to have submitted to the Roman Empire nor to have any just pretences made from thence of Superiority or Dominion over them Their Historians affirm that they have had a continued Succession of Princes from a thousand and forty Years before Christ who have continually governed them They have always been ruled by their own Laws without foreign impositions These Laws and Customs were so agreeable to the Northern People that Roger Hoveden in his Annals of Hen. 2d of England says that when William the Conqueror was to give Laws to the English he made the greatest use of the Danish Laws to that purpose from the Love he bore to the Danes from whom the Normans took their Original Under the forementioned Laws and Customs the Danes lived which they might possibly explain or improve by the Civil or Roman Law that Pontanus Lib 6. says they made use of and which the Governors of their Monasteries understood and studied having learnt them in the Universities of France and Italy Georg. Lorich in addit ad cons. poster n. 92. Helmold Lib. 3. Chron. Slavorum c. 5. King Waldemar in the Year of Christ one thousand two hundred thirty two collected the Statutes of his Predecessors whâ—ch with the ancient Customs of the Danes and Cimbers he reduc'd into writing and adding several others together with the Consent of the States he made an entire Body of the Danish Law Pontanus Lib 6. Duck de Authoritate juris civilis Yet this was but for one Province for formerly each Province Jutland Sealand c. had their own particular Laws differing from one another And indeed since his present Majesties Collection and Reformation of the Laws the Danish and Norsh Law is still distinguished so that there is just such another Volume comprehending the Norsh Law as that of the Danish but there is no difference except in such things where the nature and situation of Norway require another Regulation than Danmark In Norway likewise is another high Court of Justice where the Viceroy is resident to which all Causes may come by Appeal But if the Parties be not contented with the Decision of that Court they have a further Appeal to the highest Court in Copenhagen Holstein is ruled by the Imperial Law as a Fier of the Empire and there is at Copenhagen two Chanceries the Danish for Danmark and Norway the German for Holstein and the other German Provinces belonging to the King of Danmark He has said nothing of the Ecclesiastical Courts in Danmark which are in every Diocess where the Bishop is Resident and several of the chief of the Clergy are his Assistants and the Governor of the Province always
became a Nobleman but the Nobility having got all the Lands to themselves might easily engross the Reputation of being brave and valiant None it seems then took their Degree or Patents of Honour from the King First If this were true it could not be for the good of any Nation where for an encouragement to glorious Actions there ought to be some fountain of Honour and the King certainly is the most proper one but in the second place 't is evident that as well before as after the alteration the King of Danmark made Noblemen and gave Patents of Honour to them that deserved well as can be proved by several instances in the Reign of Christian the IV. and Frederick the III. before he was made absolute as also in the Reigns of their Predecessors Of late years he says p. 79. some few Titles of Baron and Count and nothing higher have been given to Favorites who enjoy not the same priviledges by those Titles which our Lords in England do but content themselves with a few airy insignificant ones There is no necessity that the Nobility of another Country should in every thing correspond with that of England suppose the Counts and Barons in Danmark not to be just the same are therefore their Titles airy and insignificant On the quite contrary there 's no Country in Europe where Counts and Barons have such a Preeminence as in Danmark When the King there gives Sheild and Helm as they câ—ll it that is a Noblemans Coat of Arms with a Patent of Nobility to him then such a man is distinguished from the common people and such as these only were made before the Alteration except some few Counts created by foreign Monarchs and Princes But when the King will promote a person to a degree higher which he never does unless he has so great an Estate as is requisite to sustain his Honour and Character then he gives the Titles of Baron or Count for Dukes there are none in Danmark that Title of old time properly belonging to the Royal Family this Honour is far greater and has several Priviledges above the rest of the Nobility as may be seen in the Danish Law And yet it may more easily be imagin'd that that honour must be so much the greater by reason of the rarity of such Titles there not being twenty in the whole Kingdom The following paragraph that 't is only this kind of Nobility with Titles that have liberty to make a Will and thereby to dispose of any Estate otherwise than as the Law has determined unless such Will in the Life of the Testator be approved of and signed by the King has more than one mistake in it for not only this kind but all the Nobility have Titles from the Lands they possess and are Lords of these indeed have the highest Titles of Count and Baron and then not only they but all the Nobility nay any one among the Clergy and Citizens can make a Will only it is to be observed that it is required to every such Testament from whomsoever it comes that it be approv'd and sign'd by the King to render it of force and valid that the Estate may go otherwise than the Law hath determined Neither is it true that the King p. 81. assumes to himself the power of disposing all Heirs and Heiresses of any consideration Sometimes the King may interpose his Mediation for the Marriage of some of the chief Nobility but it is far from being his usual custom much less does he assume any power to constrain them or cause them who do not hearken to his Recommendation to lye under the pain of his displeasure p. 81. which is too weighty to be born The Nobility being forc'd to endure the forementioned hardships It is possible p. 81. most of the present Possessors would quit the Country the first opportunity if there were not such a severe Law against alienations That if any one would transport himself the third part of his Purchase Money shall accrue to the King This Law is not more hard than it is unnecessary for there being no buying and selling of Land in Danmark p. 80. the Kings third part of Purchase Money will amount to but little and where Estates are a charge ibid. and the Proprietors can scarce obtain the favour of the King to be so gracious as to take their Estates from them p. 77. one would fancy that all landed men would lay the Key under the door and be scampering now to mend their condition and to get free from Monarchy and Taxes I would advise them to hasten to a neighbouring Commonwealth the Seat of Liberty where the chief Minister of their State has not above 5001. salary and where their Excise and Taxes laid on their Estates amount often to above their yearly income After all the Law aâ— it is reasonable to prevent the Subject from following his own humour to the prejudice of his native Country so iâ— does require but a sixth part to the King and a tenth part of the rest to the Magistrate of the place both which according to my Arithmetick will not amount to a third part aâ— is reported by our Author with his Geometrical Exactness Land being worth nothing how must the Counts and Barons do to live Why they are obliged by all manner of ways to keep in with the Court as indeed all are who have a mind to live and eat bread p. 79. What then will become of the rest of the Adelen or native Gentry Why military employments are mightily covered by them p. 81. almost as much as the civil and for the same reason that the Priest's Office was among the Jews viz. That they may eat a piece of Bread Bread Bread is the universal Cry and our Author seems to have borrowed his Images not from the Jews but rather from the Egyptians calling upon Pharoah towards the latter end of the seven years of Famine Want of Bread is not the only misfortune for it comes attended with other miseries for he says that the King of Danmark p. 81. imitates the French practice in this particular to make the Gentry poor and render Traffick unprofitable and dishonourable Men of birth must live and one half of the Nation by giving themselves up to Slavery will contribute their assistance afterwards to put Chains upon the other Yet in Danmark Natives are considered less than Strangers and all sorts of places civil and military are fill'd more by Foreigners than Gentlemen of the Country c. Were all these things true they would be very great evidences of a corrupt Government But I shall beg leave to set the Reader right as to these particulars and the condition of the people The Plenty of the whole Country has been sufficiently described and in the midst of this the chief Nobility enjoy the Governments of the several Provinces and the chief Offices of the Kingdom the rest of the Adelen or Nobility have subordinate Governments and
Offices some at Court and others in the Countries where they have their Seats of Residence some Germans are in the Court but the native Subjects are in greater number as the Counts Guldenlew Rantzow Reventlaw Ahlefelt Frits Baron Juel Messieurs Hogh Moth Harboe Scholier Luxdorf and a great many more too numerous to be here inserted And Natives likewise are in all the Governments throughout the Provinces Men of Birth breed up their Sons to several Employments some to civil Affairs some to Studies and some to Trade and Traffick which is as profitable and honourable there as Merchants can desire it has all encouragement from the King and many of the highest rank interest themselves in it continually Some Gentlemen apply themselves to Arms and endeavour that way to be serviceable to their Country there are abundance of these in Commission Foreigners there are indeed in some number but it must be considered that they came thither in the late War and took pay in Danmark either of their own accord or hired out by their Princes These are by birth Germans French Scotch Poles Prussians c. Yet these very men are naturalized married and settled in Danmark and so are now to be accounted Danes The Inhabitants do not pay the Souldiers nor are constantly plagu'd with insolent Inmates who Lord it where they dwell p. 87. For the â—ane lying under a necessity from his Neighbourhood to maintain an Army at home does it after the manner that may be most easy to the People which is this Souldiers are scattered universally all round about the Countries The Officers there often take Houses and live with their Families their Companies quartering round about them The Souldiers are quartered upon the Inhabitants who are to find them Bed Salt and Sour or Vinegar If the Landlord finds his Souldiers disagreeable he may hire them a Lodging elsewhere for a small matter But the Souldier is generally desirous to oblige his Landlord which he does by several offices and labours that he performs for him and is rewarded with his Diet which otherwise he must find for himself so that by that means he may have the Kings Pay clear for his Pocket And hence it proceeds that a Souldier comes to be as desirous in a Family as a Servant their Arrears are small the Pay being as constant and the Discipline as exact and severe as any where can be both for Officers and Souldiers Strangers find themselves so well entertain'd in Danmark and Norway that it is no wonder they flock thither Great Civility Courtesies and Hospitality are shown towards them which if our Author will have to be a fault is certainly one upon the best natur'd side A man would hardly have thought to have found any People in Danmark according to our Author's Description that could get out of it Much less to have found Strangers there and that persons honoured by being born within the Confines of the Empire or Poles who have Parliaments would ventâ—re thither But I see at last that there is in Danmark something worth getting and leaving one's own Country to become Master of Come we now to an unexpected paragraph and which is beyond all credibility by what has been said before one would have thought the Danes went on foot at least if they did not go bare-foot when on a sudden p. 83. he acquaints us with their Expensiveness in Retinue Cloaths c. and of a prodigality not only in the Gentry whose condition is more easy but likewise in the Burgher and Peasant It is not deny'd but that the Danes have always been and are now inclin'd to a handsome way of living and to the free enjoyment of what they are lawfully possest of It is the generousness p. 83. of their temper and nature which makes them do it and not our Author's reasons viz. the difficulty of procuring a comfortable subsistence and the little security of enjoying what shall be acquired through industry the sense that they live but from hand to mouth making them live to day as the Poet advises not knowing but what they now have may be taken from them to morrow They all know the quite contrary and whatever the Poet may say they are certain the Law says that what they have to day shall not be taken from them to morrow As for their spending prodigally because they come by it difficultly Sancho may teach him that 't is rather lightly come lightly go and I look upon this Proverb to be as true as his Assertion Being in a merry humour and in with his Poets he gives us a bit of Latin Torva Leaena Lupum sequitur Lupus ipse Capellam Florentem Cytisum sequitur lasciva Capella The admirable application and the use he makes of his Learning according to his modern Education as he gives it us is this p. 84. That the Gentleman spends presently on himself and pleasures all that he can get for fear his Money be taken from him by Taxes before he has eaten or drank for it The Peasant assoon as he gets a Rixdoller lays it out in Brandy lest his Landlord should hear of it and take it from him Thus Torva Leaena c. Little could Virgil imagine when he wrote those Verses that future ages would make Florentem Cytisum be by interpretation a Brandy Bottle Prayâ— Sir to be serious do they in Danmark first search for what a man has by him and then lay on the Taxes or rather as in other Countries proportion them to his way of living his estate and employments What man in England would set up his Coach to avoid the Poll Tax by which he is to pay five pound more for keeping it Come we now to the Merchant and Burgher these he says p. 84. subsist purely upon credit there being very few that can be called rich or worth a hundred thousand Rixdollars Less than a hundred thousand Rixdollars by farâ— will give a man the denomination oâ—â—ich in Danmark or Norway an Estaâ—e of 10 â—0 or 50 thousand will be called Riches there for we must consider that a Rixdollar will go every way farther there than a pound sterling in England Nay the Author himself p. 103. when he is to show the grievousâ—â—ss of the Taxes affirms that a Rixdollar considering the scarcity of Money ought to be computed to go farther than three Crowns with us And at this rate there are not so few wealthy men as he would perswade us Thâ—t Trade should be managed by Credit is no wonder it is punctual Payment which maintains it and their Credit would soon be lost if they had not wherewithal to pay their Creditors Manufactures have been endeavour'd to be introduced not so much with a design of benefitting the publick p. 85. as private Courtiers and great men who were the Undertakers but in a little time all came to nothing For 't is a sure Rule Trade will not be forc'd where properâ—y is not secur'd It is apparent from